Super Trax @ Zwartkops Raceway - Monthly events

[FT_86_SM_GP]

Also managed to make some progress on lap times

Upgrades from Supertrax in Aug2015:
- Endless PB05 front brake pads
- Bendix Ultimate rear brake pads

My previous lap time was 1m21

By the second sessions I was able to do consistent 1m20's / 1m21's but didn't feel like I was taking my brakes to the limit ...coz frankly I don't know the limit

Managed a 1m19s
Was a little messy on this lap:

[ame]http://youtu.be/HTjga7mEw1w[/ame]

I enjoyed this lap:

[ame]http://youtu.be/Q9tlIQivnoQ[/ame]

Good to see slight improvement in times, but ultimately my primary goal today was to build experience

Was a pleasant day out at Z

[Fish Eagle]

Originally Posted by FT_86_SM_GP

my primary goal today was to build experience

Wow, you've come so far since the Petrolheads for Pets day in July. Well done!!

Nice videos too.

[LostSalad]

@FT_86_SM_GP nice laps dude! And your car pulls nicely, damn! When I went past the pits to look for the Stigworx guys I saw your car but didn't catch you - it was lunch time. And I think you got to the pan just as I was leaving. Anyway, hopefully I'll see you on track next month.

Now make another montage of your passes during the day, with some gangsta rap

[FT_86_SM_GP]

Hahaha! I was at two minds with adding Gangster rap to my highlight video this time, but I will do a gangster rap video the next time ! lol

I posted this on the previous page:

[ame]http://youtu.be/hZ9qw_24OOc[/ame]

[LostSalad]

Originally Posted by FT_86_SM_GP

Hahaha! I was at two minds with adding Gangster rap to my highlight video this time, but I will do a gangster rap video the next time ! lol

I posted this on the previous page:

Awesome man, I love the videos, keep em coming . It looks like you had a blast on Sunday

Something that caught my interest immediately: listen carefully at 1:03. I think that's the rear locking up as you shift down into 2nd. Do you heel-toe when you shift?

[FT_86_SM_GP]

Originally Posted by LostSalad

Awesome man, I love the videos, keep em coming . It looks like you had a blast on Sunday

Something that caught my interest immediately: listen carefully at 1:03. I think that's the rear locking up as you shift down into 2nd. Do you heel-toe when you shift?

Thanks, was a relatively quiet day, so was fun doing more laps without traffic ...which resulted in more hot laps

With regards to 1:03 ...honestly don't know what happened there, could be traction control or ABS ? (I did brake harder than usual there)

I felt traction control kicking in at Turn 2 / Turn 5 and 6

I tried a lap with VCS on, was just experimenting but didn't go flat out... Felt better ...

What do Stigworx recommend ? TC completely off ?

I was chatting to the owner of the Red RMS SC 86 with black OZ wheels (not the one with all the stickers )...he reckons he drives with Traction control Off...but then again he has nice 18 wide wheels

Not sure if it will be a good idea driving with TC off with 205's (I have the Std spec rim)

[Sporran]

Originally Posted by FT_86_SM_GP

What do Stigworx recommend ? TC completely off ?

Jacques always does his reference lap with the TC completely off. He then switches it on again for your first session. Only when there's no more room for improvement with your technique and only when it's obvious that the TC isn't kicking in at all would he recommend you begin to try it without.

Of course it's your car and you can choose whenever to put it on or off but it's a nice confidence booster knowing it's there just in case especially for the likes of myself who's still not as consistent as I'd like to be. Even so I improved my lap time on Sunday by 5 secs just through Jacques' coaching - that's on standard rubber too. (Mrs Sporran improved hers by 9 secs )

You're already doing under 1:20 so perhaps have a chat with Stigworx about how to improve on that? Jacques' reference lap on my car was 1:21 and that's with standard tyres and suspension so I'm pretty sure he'll be able to help you improve.

[FT_86_SM_GP]

Originally Posted by Sporran

Jacques always does his reference lap with the TC completely off. He then switches it on again for your first session. Only when there's no more room for improvement with your technique and only when it's obvious that the TC isn't kicking in at all would he recommend you begin to try it without.

Of course it's your car and you can choose whenever to put it on or off but it's a nice confidence booster knowing it's there just in case especially for the likes of myself who's still not as consistent as I'd like to be. Even so I improved my lap time on Sunday by 5 secs just through Jacques' coaching - that's on standard rubber too. (Mrs Sporran improved hers by 9 secs )

You're already doing under 1:20 so perhaps have a chat with Stigworx about how to improve on that? Jacques' reference lap on my car was 1:21 and that's with standard tyres and suspension so I'm pretty sure he'll be able to help you improve.

Cool, makes sense with the TC, I guess you need enough driving skill to drive with it off, especially on this track...coz if you go farming ...its highly probable its not going to end well...

The agriculture sector is not doing the SA economy any good either at the moment

That's where RedStar and Midvaal come in handy to practice without fear , and trying laps with TC completely off.

@Sporran do you upgraded brakes?
I am assuming you were there this Sunday? Supercharged RGM 86?

I am keen to try out the stigworx, its a little pricey (+-R1k...R750 on special) but if you are significantly improving lap times, it is def worth it,
I will try them once I reach a point when I feel I cannot improve lap times any further

[Sporran]

Originally Posted by FT_86_SM_GP

@Sporran do you upgraded brakes?
I am assuming you were there this Sunday? Supercharged RGM 86?

Yes that was us I think if you don't upgrade your brakes and you track your car then you're playing Russian roulette. I've met a few people who boiled their brake fluid on the track - ask Fish Eagle or better still read his thread about it.

We had RGM fit Vari hook slotted discs and EBC blue pads plus higher boiling point fluid at the same time as they did the S/C. Just adds another level of confidence while tracking and given that we're still noobs at it we're likely to abuse the brakes more until our experience levels increase. It just makes sense.

[FT_86_SM_GP]

Originally Posted by LostSalad

Something that caught my interest immediately: listen carefully at 1:03. I think that's the rear locking up as you shift down into 2nd. Do you heel-toe when you shift?

So I have been thinking about why I have been locking up for a second before turns 2 and table top

And came across this article, found it very useful:

http://www.drivingfast.net/car-control/braking.htm#10

15 seconds into this video: (downshift to second and brakes lock for a second) wonder if this is dangerous (again at 53sec when down shifting to 2nd gear)
[ame]http://youtu.be/k3DG8yDoXjQ[/ame]

[Fish Eagle]

Originally Posted by FT_86_SM_GP

wonder if this is dangerous

I don't think there's any danger with that at all.

With tight 2nd gear hairpins, I shift down to second in the corner (not before) without rev-matching to intentionally cause that short lock-up. I battle to get my car to rotate quick enough and that technique helps get the tail around.

I used to toe-heel, but I don't anymore because I'm not good enough at it and occasionally my foot slips off the brake pedal which is scary and dangerous.

See eg's at 0:29 and 1:09 in this video
You'll see that I do 3 things to rotate the car
1. Trail brake into the turn
2. Downshift to 2nd in the turn without rev-matching
3. Mash the power on
4. Quick lift and immediately back on the power to stop the rotation
Works for me...

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVcdXpQwUzM"]2015-07-26 Red Star Raceway 2m21.253 Michelin Cup - YouTube[/ame]

[LostSalad]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGFeugl4BLg[/ame]


Not dangerous at all. But it will upset the car's balance. In that snippet from the "Drift Bible" you see it initiates heavy oversteer because as the wheels lock the back is loose.

It's a similar effect to pulling the handbrake, but it's quite brief. @Fish Eagle, are you sure you aren't pulling some rally tricks to make it through the hairpins :P. Get a bit of oversteer going and use the car's power to claw out of the corner.

I personally avoid shift locking like this because I have a feeling it's quite a shock to the entire system. I heel-toe every time, even when I drive on the streets. I learnt to do it in an X-Trail, so the free-revving 86 engine makes it particularly easy.

[Fish Eagle]

My original plans for this weekend haven't worked out - pity.
But I do need my monthly racetrack "shot-in-the-arm"

So, I'm thinking of doing Midvaal on Saturday, and Supertrax at the Z on Sunday.
Anyone else going to Supertrax?

I don't know why I even want to do this - cause I actually hate Supertrax class A which is the M3 slowcoach brigade.
They're fast on the straights where I don't have the power to pass them, and dismally slow in the corners where I'm not allowed to pass them.
I'm 5-8 secs a lap faster, but not allowed to go there - grrr!!

Maybe I need my first black flag...

[JouMaSeHoes]

I'm considering making the trek up to Z on Sunday as I wont be able to do their final one on 5 Dec.